Collegiate Rugby Bracket Challenge: Update & Thoughts

I just received an email that the original bracket posted on Rugby America was incorrect. For the updated, correct bracket, click the following link: Collegiate Rugby Bracket Challenge. And if you haven't had a chance to do so, check out the finalized brackets, make your picks, and cheer on the BYU Rugby team in their push for yet another final appearance.

Now for some thoughts...

First off, I was really looking forward to a Final Four match-up with #3-ranked St. Mary's... the updated bracket, however, shows them back in the mix with Cal like last year's tourney (i.e. they will most likely be eliminated by Cal before getting a chance to play BYU).

Besides St. Mary's, I don't know of any other team that can truly challenge BYU in the championship (excepting Cal of course). BYU has effectively buried every ranked team that they have played this season... and that's putting it gently in some cases.

Second, the only team in BYU's bracket that BYU has already played this season is Utah... uh... yeah... so... what should I say about that? According to American Rugby News' most recent Top 25, the team that BYU twice pummeled, by 44 and 46 points respectively, is still ranked #6 in the nation... #6 in the nation, folks! Call me crazy, but why shouldn't we expect for BYU to just blow everyone away all the way up to the Final Game???

The only other teams in the bracket to have played BYU previously, in last year's tournament, are #12 Dartmouth (lost to BYU in the round of 16, 48-22) and #4 San Diego State (lost 37-14 to BYU in the round of 8). Ask anyone, and they will tell you that Dartmouth showed very well, that the score doesn't reveal how close the two teams played; and San Diego State actually played less than their potential in a match that found both sides committing several errors.

Now San Diego State is looking to get to a Final Four spot... and I'm sure Dartmouth has similar aspirations... but are they really up to it this year? Are they better than they were last year? Heaven knows they will need to be, or else they will get steamrolled by BYU! This year is different!

Say what you want, but I'm betting that the deeper, more balanced, and more aggressive BYU Rugby team of today puts the hurt on the opposition in this year's National Championship, whatever the rankings say... anything else would be truly upsetting... and I don't just mean emotionally!
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